Electrical wiring



May 16, '1967 H. PETER'SON ELECTRICAL WIRING Filed March 30, 1965'INVENTOR mcuAQD amaraasou United States Patent 3,32tl,489 ELECTRICALWIRHNG Richard H. Peterson, 10108 Harnew Road 13., Oaklawn, Ill. 60453Filed Mar. 30, 1965, Ser. No. 443,796 18 Claims. (Cl. 317-119)mechanical improvements over the construction disclosed in my earlierapplication. In the structure disclosed in said earlier application theprinted conductor extended the entire width of the panel, and for themost perfect circuitry at the low voltages employed in transistorizedcircuitry such strips are customarily gold plated. A material shorteningof this cond-u-ctor is achieved according to the present invention.

The gripping of the next panel was between metal jaws in the earlierapplications, with substantially a line contact area for one of thejaws.

When such jaws are made heavy enough to carry the mechanical loadsinvolved without deleterious flexure, they become quite rigid, and

the clamped panel is likely to fulcrum on its electrical line contactwith one jaw and permit shifting movement that is not noticeable whenhandling the apparatus but that may shift the electrical contact andintroduce appreciable extraneous noises after a short period of use.

Because of the strength and stiffness of such jaws, very littledistortion in repeated assembly and disassembly is necessary to causeone or two out of some sixty such jaws to be a little bit loose when allthe others are getting satisfactory electrical contact and the locationof such a circuit defect always involves a service call and annoyance tothe user.

According to the invention the inusl-ating panels themselves arearranged for panel-to-panel contact over a large area, under relativelysmall mechanical loads expressed in pounds per square inch of panelsurface, and the electrical contact points pressing the panels togetherfunction with smaller total loads and much larger loads per unit ofcontact area and are made resilient through a large range of movement,so that with the inserted panel in correct position, the total pressureof all the electrical contact points will give firm and durablemechanical assembly of all the parts and hold them against any relativemovement by the combined action of the pressure of the points and thefriction between the panels. In one embodiment an electrical contactbetween one flat surface and a curved wire secures the desired smallarea,

.light total load, and large load per unit area.

The yielding of such electrical contact points at the time the panel isinserted can be from to times as much, measured in actual displacement,as in the previous construction, and a discrepancy of 15 thousandths ofan inch or so between the points of the various individual contactmembers when undistorted still leaves the effective electrical contactpressure on every contact area within the range of suitable contactpressures for electrical transmission at low voltage, with a wide marginof safety.

Many economies in the processes of production and assembly are alsoavailable. These and other advantages will become apparent as thedescription proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a pure diagram of four connector units and four unitary setsof instrumentalities associated with each other according to theinvention;

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FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary perspective of the end portions of three ofthe connector units of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a transverse section through two of the connector units; and

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary plan view of one unit connector indicating adifferent longitudinal spacing for the sets of homologous conductors.

In the embodiment selected to illustrate the invention, four unitarysets of electrical elements or sets of elements are indicated at 10, 12,14, and 16. It will be obvious that there is no definite limit to thenumber of such units that may be associated according to the invention.From each unit a composite cable 20, 22, 24, 26 extends from thehomologous unitary assembly to one of the supports 30, 32, 34, and 36.

As indicated in FIGURE 2 the supports are laid in overlapping relationlike shingles. At one edge each support is provided with means forreceiving and engaging the opposite edge of an adjacent duplicatesupport and holding the two in assembled relation, while the other edgeof the first mentioned support is adapted to be received by the femaleedge of the next support. Thus, as indicated in FIGURE 2 all thesupports are arranged one above the other, with a straddling relationbetween each support and the support below it in the orientation shownin FIGURE 2. For convenience in identification the supports will bementioned as being above or below each other in the orientation ofFIGURE 2, but it is emphasized that they could all lie in substantiallythe same horizontal plane or they could all have their longitudinaldimension vertical. In fact there is no geometrical orientation thatcould be assumed that would not be entirely compatible with thefunctioning of the four supports in combination with each other. It isonly necessary that the cables 20, 22, 24, and 26 be long enough toreach from the unitary sets 10, 12, 14, and 16 to the correspondingterminal panels. Therefore, the assembled set of panels and thedifferent sets of electrical elements can all be housed wherever spaceconditions dictate. This is an advantage in many environments. Forinstance, within the console of an electronic organ there are often amultitude of sets of electrical elements and storage space is at apremium.

As most conveniently illustrated in FIGURE 3, each set of homologousconductor elements associated with the panel 34 comprises a firstconductor 38 in the nature of an extremely thin strip of copper afiixedto the face of the panel by the conventional process commonly calledprinting. Each such conductor has a proximate end 38-2 and a remote end38-4 and at least that portion of the conductor extending from theproximate edge 38-2 of the panel 34 up to the point 38-6 carries anextremely thin coating of gold electroplated in place.

' A multiplicity of slots 40 are provided in the panel 34, each oneextending through the center of its homologous first conductor 33 andthrough the panel to the other side. From the bight 42-2 the proximateportion of the conductor 42 extends first through the slot 40 at 42-4and then along the surface of the panel away from the slot at 42-6 whereit has electrical contact with the first conductor 38; then outward awayfrom the panel as indicated at 42-8 and continued beyond the portion42-8 in a short tip 42-10 bent diagonally outward and away from thecentral portion of the structure. The remote portion of the conductor 42has the reach 42-12 corresponding to the reach 42-4 and a reach 42-14corresponding to it is bent sharply back away from the panel 34 at42-22. The elbow-like tip at 42-22 defines a V-shaped slot adapted toguide the proximate edge of a duplicate panel entered between the tipand the panel 34. In the drawing this is indicated near the bottom ofFIGURE 3 where the proximate edge of panel 34 has pushed up the tip42-22 carried by the panel 30 and the edge of the panel 38 has slid inuntil it comes into contact with the second conductor of the panel 30below at the point indicated at 44. Since there are a multiplicity ofsuch second conductors spaced along the length of the panel, it will beobvious that the contacts at 44 afford a precise guide and abutment forending the insertion of the upper panel. Pushing the upper panel againstthese contacts 44 secures substantially perfect alignment between theadjacent panels.

Means are provided for securing permanent electrical union of minimumcontact resistance between the first and second conductors. I haveillustrated an investment of solder which overlies all of the firstconductor 38 beneath portions 42-6 and 42-14 of the second conductor andalso envelops the second conductor. This solder 46 also extends up as acomplete envelope at 48 enclosing reaches 42-8 and 42-10 constitutingthe proximate end of the second conductor.

This solder is applied by laying masking tape over that portion of theconductor 38 that extends from the conductor 42 over to the proximateedge of the panel with masking tape. The length of the coverage isindicated in FIGURE 3 by the bracket 50. Then the panel 34 is held byits upper edge as viewed in FIGURE 3 and plunged quickly into a solderbath down to the level of the dotted line 52 which crosses the upperedge of the solder investment. This is done before the cable 20 and itsinsulating support and sheath 54 are assembled with the 'panel.

The panel is now an integral permanently assembled unit with all itsconductors 38 and 42 and the sheath 54 is laid in place and riveted tothe panel through suitably positioned holes 56 arranged as in FIGURE 2or duplicate holes 58 arranged as in FIGURE 4.

Then the cable 20 is assembled in the position illustrated in FIGURE 3by a series of individual assembly operations, one for each of theconductors 60 making up the cable. The base 54-2 of the sheath 54 isfiat and I provide a low side wall at 54-6 and a high side wall at 54-8leaving an opening for convenient placement of the parts of the cable.The high side wall 54-8 is turned inward again at 54-10 and is slottedby a plurality of narrow kerfs extending down to the dotted line at 64.It will be obvious that a simple gang saw can cut all these kerfsquickly and simultaneously in a single operation.

The individual conductors 60' are of a diameterabout /3 or A as great asthe diameter of conductor 42, and the end of each conductor 60 is woundaroundits homologous conductor tip 42-10 as indicated in FIGURE 3, by athreading tool such as that illustrated in FIGURE 13 of my Patent3,027,418, issued Mar. 27, 1962. Each individual conductor 60 is ametallic core enveloped in a sheath of almost microscopic thickness ofthe order of magnitude of two or three ten-thousandths of an inch, butof adequate insulating power to take care of the potentials involved.This insulating sheath is of special plastic material and per seconstitutes no part of my invention, being well known in the art. Afterthe conductor end is wound on the tip 42-18 as indicated in FIGURE 3 theentire assembly is positioned with the tip 42-10 projecting almostvertically downward and immersed in a solder bath down to the dash line64 (see FIGURE 3). This burns off the insulation of the portion of theconductor wrapped around the tip and I have indicated in dotted lines at70 the approximate configuration of the resulting tiny gob of solder.

The mechanical loads on the tip 42-1t during the process of assembly arerather heavy for an object of a small size and means are provided forreinforcing the reach 42-8 to assist conductor 42 in resisting suchforces. I have illustrated a flange 72 projecting forward from the highwall 54 in a position where the same kerf cut in the high wall and itstop flange 54-10 will also penetrate the entirety of the flange 72 andadapt it to receive the reach 42-8 and its envelope of solder in fairlysnug engagement in the kerf. This effectively prevents the workingforces necessary for assembling the connection at the tip 42-10 fromtwisting conductor 42 around an axis through its reaches 42-6 and 42-14and rupturing its contact with its solder investment.

This completes the assembly of the entire panel 34 with the entirety ofits associated cable 20. As a rule all the conductors of cable 20 areconnected at their other ends with the multiple assembly 10 of electricunits before the individual conductors 60 have their remaining endsassembled with the panel 34, but it will be obvious that either theassembly 10 or the panel 34 could be assembled with the cable first, andthe other unit last. A third procedure is to position unit 14- and panel34 the right distance apart on a workbench and aflix the conductors 60at both ends, one at a time.

The assembly of the panel 34 and its first and second conductors, isdesigned so that it lends itself readily to substantially completeassembly by automatic machinery. For instance, a panel 38 of any desiredlength can first be cut and stamped and perforated with the desiredslots 40 and rivet holes 56. Then it can be mounted on a carriage andmoved longitudinally through equal increments equal to the spacingbetween successive first conductors 38. The second conductors can be fedfrom a magazine. .At each arrest of the longitudinal movement a detectorfeeler can come up below the panel and if it finds one of the slots itwill complete an electric circuit and a plunger from above will push onesecond conductor down into the assembled position.

The next step is to mask the proximate ends of the first conductors 38and immerse the assembly in solder up to the remote ends of the reaches42-14 as indicated by the dotted line 52.

All the subsequent assembly has been previously described.

It will be obvious that the longitudinal spacing of the sets ofhomologous conductors can be varied to conform to a wide variety ofuses. In FIGURE 2 I have indicated groups of twelve sets each assembledwith a predetermined minimum longitudinal spacing, with each group oftwelve separated from the next group by a much wider spacing at 74. Thisis an obvious mechanical convenience in designing and assemblingelectronic organs in which each group of 12 sets of homologousconductors functions to connect one homologous element in one of theunits 10, 12, 14, and 16 with the continuous unitary electricalconductor extending, like a bus, through all the homologous firstconductors 38 of all the panels, regardless of the number of panels.

In FIGURE 4 l have indicated a design which maystill be according toFIGURE 3 but the axial spacing between successive conductors 38 ismaterially larger and the rivet holes 58 may be somewhat smaller so thatthe entire panel has only one spacing and may have no gaps at all fromend to end of the panel. This provides for a little added convenience inreadjusting various experimental assemblies of computers or complicatedcontrol arrangements. Referring to the type of association diagrammed inFIGURE 1, the assembly 12 might contain a hundred individual elementsand a hundred conductors in its cable 22 while the assembly 10 containedonly and a variety of interrelationships could easily be secured foroperations of altered programming by separating the panels and movingthe panel for assembly 10 up or down a few spaces to'connect each of itsunits to a diflerent element in assembly 12.

Others may readily adapt the invention for use under various conditionsof service by employing one or more of the novel features disclosed, orequivalents thereof. As at present advised, with respect to the apparentscope of my invention, I desire to claim the following subject matter:

1. A multiple connector assembly comprising, in combination: a panelhaving at least one face of insulating material; a multiplicity of firstconductors, each affixed to the insulating face of said panel, andhaving one end adjacent a first panel edge; a multiplicity of secondconductors afi'ixed to said panel; each second conductor havinganintermediate portiton in electrically conductive contact with thehomologous first conductor remote from said first panel edge; eachsecond conductor having two end portions extending away from its contactwith its homologous first conductor; one, first, end portion of eachsecond conductor nearest said first panel edge extending out away fromsaid panel and away from said first conductor and ending in a tip remotefrom said first panel edge and from said first conductor; said tip in aposition accessible for the convenient affixing of a third conductor toit; the other, second, end portion of each second conductor extendingaway from the homologous first conductor in a direction away from saidadjacent panel edge; said second end portion being resilient and havinga clamping tip remote from said adjacent panel edge and close to theface of said panel; said clamping tip positioned to register with thehomologous first conductor of another similar panel, and press againstsaid homologous first conductor to maintain electrical contact therewithand to clamp the first panel edge of said other similar panel againstsaid first-mentioned panel; whereby an indefinite number of similarpanels can be removably assembled with each first conductor electricallyconnected through said second conductor with the homologous firstconductor of the other panel; the first and second conductors of saidpanels constituting a bus with as many lateral taps as there are panelsand with the same effective electrical relationship regardless of thesequence in which said panels are juxtaposed.

2. An assembly according to claim 1 in which said first conductors arefiat and printed on the face of said panel.

3. An assembly according to claim 1 in which said second conductors areof wire.

4. An assembly according to claim 1 in which said panel has a pluralityof apertures, one for each first conductor, each aperture adjacent aportion of its first conductor remote from said first panel edge.

5. An assembly according to claim 4 in which each second conductor has afastening portion shaped to enter the homologous aperture duringassembly and adapted to hold the entire second conductor in assembledposition.

6. An assembly according to claim 5 in combination with a solderinvestment, enveloping said fastening portion and the adjacent portionof said first conductor.

7. An assembly according to claim 6 in which said investmentsubstantially envelops the first end portion and the intermediateportion of said second conductor.

8. An assembly according to claim 1, in combination with an insulatinghousing of channel cross-section extending parallel to said first paneledge; a multiplicity of insulated third conductors lying in saidchannel; said channel lying between the end portions of said secondconductors and having one, first, leg rising close beside the adjacentfirst end portions of said second conductors; said channel having a webaflixed directly to said panel; said insulated third conductors in saidchannel having terminal portions each extending up said first channelleg and then outwardly to wrap around the tip of the first end portionof the homologous second conductor.

9. An assembly according to claim 8, in which the tip of the first endportion of each second conductor, and the end of the homologous thirdconductor Wrapped around it, are both enveloped in a single localinvestment of solder.

10. An assembly according to claim 8 in which the upper edge of saidfirst channel leg has a kerf registering with each second conductor, andsaid insulated conductors are laid into said kerfs.

11. An assembly according to claim 10 in which the upper edge of saidfirst channel leg is turned in at the top; said kerfs extending acrosssaid turned-in top.

12. An assembly according to claim 8 in which said first channel leg hasan external rib and said rib has kerfs receiving the homologous firstend portions of said second conductors.

13. An assembly according to claim 10 in which said first channel leghas an external rib and said rib has kerfs receiving the homologousfirst end portions of said second conductors.

14. An assembly according to claim 8 in combination With anchor meansmechanically fastening said channel to said panel.

15. An assembly according to claim 8 in which the second leg of saidchannel extends along adjacent the second end portions of all saidsecond conductors.

16. An assembly according to claim 15 in which said second channel legis materially narrower than said first leg, and leaves a wide diagonalopening between itself and said first channel leg.

17. An assembly according to claim 8 in which each third, insulatedconductor extends from its connection with its homologous secondconductor, transversely into said channel and then longitudinally to oneend of said channel and out of said channel end.

18. An assembly according to claim 17 in which all said insulatedconductors extend out of the same end of said channel.

No references cited.

ROBERT K. SCHAEFER, Primary Examiner.

H. O. JONES, Assistant Examiner.

1. A MULTIPLE CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION: A PANELHAVING AT LEAST ONE FACE OF INSULATING MATERIAL; A MULTIPLICITY OF FIRSTCONDUCTORS, EACH AFFIXED TO THE INSULATING FACE OF SAID PANEL, ANDHAVING ONE END ADJACENT A FIRST PANEL EDGE; A MULTIPLICITY OF SECONDCONDUCTORS AFFIXED TO SAID PANEL; EACH SECOND CONDUCTOR HAVING ANINTERMEDIATE PORTION IN ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE CONTACT WITH THEHOMOLOGOUS FIRST CONDUCTOR REMOTE FROM SAID FIRST PANEL EDGE; EACHSECOND CONDUCTOR HAVING TWO END PORTIONS EXTENDING AWAY FROM ITS CONTACTWITH ITS HOMOLOGOUS FIRST CONDUCTOR; ONE, FIRST, END PORTION OF EACHSECOND CONDUCTOR NEAREST SAID FIRST PANEL EDGE EXTENDING OUT AWAY FROMSAID PANEL AND AWAY FROM SAID FIRST CONDUCTOR AND ENDING IN A TIP REMOTEFROM SAID FIRST PANEL EDGE AND FROM SAID FIRST CONDUCTOR; SAID TIP IN APOSITION ACCESSIBLE FOR THE CONVENIENT AFFIXING OF A THIRD CONDUCTOR TOIT; THE OTHER, SECOND, END PORTION OF EACH SECOND CONDUCTOR EXTENDINGAWAY FROM THE HOMOLOGOUS FIRST CONDUCTOR IN A DIRECTION AWAY FROM SAIDADJACENT PANEL EDGE; SAID SECOND END PORTION BEING RESILIENT AND HAVINGA CLAMPING TIP REMOTE FROM SAID ADJACENT PANEL EDGE AND CLOSE TO THEFACE OF SAID PANEL; SAID CLAMPING TIP POSITIONED TO REGISTER WITH THEHOMOLOGOUS FIRST CONDUCTOR OF ANOTHER SIMILAR PANEL, AND PRESS AGAINSTSAID HOMOLOGOUS FIRST CONDUCTOR TO MAINTAIN ELECTRICAL CONTACT THEREWITHAND TO CLAMP THE FIRST PANEL EDGE OF SAID OTHER SIMILAR PANEL AGAINSTSAID FIRST-MENTIONED PANEL; WHEREBY AN INDEFINITE NUMBER OF SIMILARPANELS CAN BE REMOVABLY ASSEMBLED WITH EACH FIRST CONDUCTOR ELECTRICALLYCONNECTED THROUGH SAID SECOND CONDUCTOR WITH THE HOMOLOGOUS FIRSTCONDUCTOR OF THE OTHER PANEL; THE FIRST AND SECOND CONDUCTORS OF SAIDPANELS CONSTITUTING A BUS WITH AS MANY LATERAL TAPS AS THERE ARE PANELSAND WITH THE SAME EFFECTIVE ELECTRICAL RELATIONSHIP REGARDLESS OF THESEQUENCE IN WHICH SAID PANELS ARE JUXTAPOSED.